Soliz v. State’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

12 state decisions

Most-quoted passages

The sentences later courts lift from this opinion, ranked by how many decisions quote each — the parts of the opinion doing the work. These counts are smaller than the citation total above because most of the 12 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “In Texas, if the Legislature has not specified venue for a specific type of crime, then “the proper county for the prosecution of offenses is that in which the offense was committed.” Special venue statutes, however, expand the number of counties in which an offense may be prosecuted. These special venue statutes have been enacted for various reasons, such as: 1) the difficulty of proving precisely where the offense was committed; 2) the location where evidence of the crime is found; 3) the effect that a crime may have upon several different counties; or 4) the effect that the actor may have upon various counties. Texas venue statutes are a species of codified “substantial contacts” jurisdiction; thus, for venue to lie, the defendant, his conduct, his victim, or the fruits of his crime must have some relationship to the prosecuting county. The Legislature has specified the types of contacts that satisfy this “substantial contacts” threshold for various offenses.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Murphy v. State

2. “The indictment or information, or any-pleading in the case, may allege that the offense was committed in the county were the prosecution is carried on. To sustain the allegation of venue, it shall only be necessary to prove by the preponderance of the evidence that by reason of the facts in the case, the county where such prosecution is carried on has venue. Proof of venue must be demonstrated by either direct or circumstantial evidence. “Venue,” as applied to criminal cases, means the place in which the prosecution is to begin. When conduct constituting a single offense is committed in more than one county, venue is proper in any of those counties. Preponderance of the evidence means the greater weight and degree of credible evidence. Venue is not a constituent element of the offense charged, and the failure to prove venue does not negate the guilt of the accused.”

   1 later decision quote this exact passage · from the majority
   e.g. Mayo v. State